, 1887-12-25

~ a. ~ bCA VI
more neatly than | could"
Maude was delighted TO nave an on
portunity of doing at last a little kindly
act.
Directly she left the room, the major
began tfdgeting about. and al length got
up and paced the room. Suddenly turn
ing TO MIR. Browne, he said: Compare
tive stranger as you are to me, l feel as
If L must tell you the nature of the bust
ness which is calling me to London so
unexpectedly. The blow has fallen so
unexpectedly that to speak of it would be
an immense relief"
The stranger was all sympathetic atten-
ton in a moment.
MIR. Browne" continued the major
excitedly, ''this time yesterday l believed
that poor girl up stairs to be mistress of a
fairly large fortune. Today-if the in
formation l received is correct-I know
her to be penniless. And that is not all;
the greater part, if not the whole, of my
income is lost also"
So sympathetic was Mr.. Browne that
he wanted to know all the details. These.
however, the major was unable to fur
nish, in fact, he could explain nothing
satisfactorily, SO great was the state of
excitement into V. hich he had worked
himself.
"Hush!' he said, as he heard Maude
approaching. Not a word to her. [
would not disturb her peaceful mind for
worlds, poor girl, until l am certain how
the matter stands"
The next day, about an hour after her
uncle had left for London, Maude re-
ceived the following penciled note from
Mr.. Browne:
MY Own Darling: 1 am the most I'M
lucky dog that ever lived. / passed a
wretched night, and this morning l am
too i'll to leave my bed. To be disabled
today, when l was to have arranged for
the event which is to make me the hap
piest man in England! l have sent for
the village bones, " and if he can but
patch me up it may not yet be too late.
Send a book back by bearer, to account
for having received a letter from your
nearly frantic JACK"
Poor Maudel The torturing suspense
of that day. In the evening she ven
tured to ask the landlady to inquire how
MIR. Browne was. mo better" was the
alarming reply.
Maude passed a sleepless night. In
the morning she received n second note
from her dear Jack, even more despair
ing in its tone than the former one.
Fate is against u.s." he wrote; II feel
as If shall never be able to call you
mine"
In the middle Of the day she again sent
to inquire after her lover, and was over
powered when she heard he was much
better, and vas ever thinking of getting
up, his recovery being fair to be as sud
den as his seizure.
That evening Maj. Henderson returned.
Hardly had he knocked at the door, when
Mr.. Browne emerged from the opposite
cottage.
What news, sir?" asked the sympa-
thetic Mr.. Browne.
THE worst possible" replied the
major, throwing himself into an easy
hands. That poor girl yonder is a beg
gar, and L have but a hundred a year
left"
Maude looked from one to the other in
utter bewilderment, and then crossed over
to her uncle, trying to comfort him and
gain some explanation at the same time.
81 feel this is no scene for q stranger
to witness. said Mr.. Browne. Sir, you
have my deepest sympathy, and l am
sure that the present moment l can show
it in no better way than by withdraw
ing"
Maude followed her lover to the door.
She was much distressed on her uncle's
account, but did not fully realize her own
loss of fortune.
"Are you really better, dear Jack?''
she asked anxiously.
Eyes, thank you. Quite cured. Good
BY" and he was gone
That her lovers leave taking was q
little abrupt did strike Maude; she was,
however, far too confused by the turn
affairs had taken to attach much impor-
lance to the first circumstance.
When she returned to her uncle he
seemed wonderfully better, and at sup
per he talked cheerfully of their future.
Maude passed another s~leepless night.
She did not so much mind the taryihle
loss she had sustained on her own ac-
count, but she was bitterly disappointed
that she could not do all she had prom
ised for her dear Jack. She determined,
however, to be the most loving and
economical wife possible. At all events,
her uncle would not be able to accuse
Jack of being mercenary now, and there
was much comfort in that reflection.
Perhaps, after all, they would be able to
have a proper wedding, only, of course,
it would have to be a very quiet one.
How much nicer that would be than run
ming away and deceiving her uncle, who
had always been SO kind to her.
When she came down to breakfast the
next morning she was looking pale and
a little worn after her two sleepless
nights. The major, however, seemed to
have succeeded in throwing off his grief
in quite a wonderful manner, and was i'll
almost his usual spirits.
'Have you heard how Mr.. Browne is
this morning. Maude ventured to ask
the landlady's daughter.
why, miss, he paid me for the week
and went off by the mail train last nj ght,
declaring he was sure the place didn't
suit him."
Poor Maudel The blow did indeed
fall on her with crushing force.
Dear me, rather sudden! We shall
miss the old gentleman, eh, Miss Maude?'
said the major, as soon as the uncle and
niece were left together. He laid n slight
stress on the adjective, and there was a
suspicion of fun in his eye. 1t was, how
ever, no laughing matter to Maude; she,
poor girl, unable longer to act her part,
bust into an uncomfortable fit of weep
ipp